CITRUS RELATIVES 
FERONIA (F. elephantum). This slow- 
growing south Indian citrus relative has 
shiny green foliage with small, widely- 
scattered leaflets, a few long spines on 
the branches, and many small flowers 
with reddish petals and large, erect, choc- 
olate antlers. The round hard fruits con- 
tain edible pulp (if you can take punish- 
ment) but are better used ornamentally. 
ESENBECKIA (E. runyoni). This tree 
is named after another newspaper pub- 
lisher at Brownsville, Texas, Robert Run- 
yon who wrote me: “This 30-foot tree 
with round top and trifoliate leaves that 
hang on all winter, is very rare even here 
(it is known only from Cameron County, 
Texas) as most of the trees have been 
cleared away to make way for agriculture. 
When grown in the open the tree is some- 
what spreading but with a closed top. It 
flowers in May, the fruit ripens in August, 
it blooms again in September and the fruit 
ripens in December or January. The green 
fruit has a strong orange odor. The seed 
is difficult to get as they are ejected with 
great force when mature. The tree will 
stand a freeze.” Runyon wrote me later 
that the symmetrical panicles produce 
hundreds of small white fragrant flowers, 
“very showy” when in bloom. The plants 
of Esenbeckia I have raised from Runyon’s 
seed seem to grow very slowly in Florida. 
GLYCOSMIS (G. pentaphylla). Small 
Indian tree of the Citrus family with white 
flowers among the foliage. 
CURRY TREE (Murraya koenigi). Dr. 
Walter T. Swingle gave me this citrus 
relative whose leaves are prized for spicy 
fragrance used to make curry sauce. It 
makes an attractive small evergreen tree. 
LIME BERRY (Triphasia _ trifolia). 
Thorny evergreen shrub of Citrus family 
with inconspicuous flowers and_bright- 
red berry-like fruits. 
CALAMONDIN (Citrus mitis). One of 
the hardiest of the citrus fruits is this or- 
namental Philippine tree, often grown in 
Florida gardens for the plentiful crops of 
sour fruits which hang on and make the 
tree most attractive through the winter 
months. 
36 
CAPE CHESTNUT 
"CAPE CHESTNUT (Calodendrum 
capense). This beautiful 40-foot ever- 
green tree from the Cape of Good Hope 
is one of the showiest of flowering trees, 
and it is often seen in California though 
rarely in Florida. It is slow-growing while 
young and prefers warm conditions, but 
as it grows older it becomes quite resistant 
to cold. It flowers in May, huge heads 
of flesh pink or mauve flowers standing 
out from the tip of each branch and giv- 
ing a fine ornamental effect. The rest of 
the year this is a splendid shade tree. 
Incidentally it is not a chestnut, nor even 
related to that tree, but its seeds do 
samewhat resemble the chestnut. Actually 
this tree is related to citrus, though no 
layman would suspect it. 
CHALCAS (Murraya paniculata). Fin- 
est of our hedge plants and comparable 
in beauty to English box, this citrus rela- 
tive, with its lush dark green foliage, is 
covered several times a year with star- 
like white fragrant flowers followed by red 
berries. Can be trimmed as desired but 
makes a 15-foot fan-topped shrub if un- 
disturbed. Often called “orange jasmine.” 
SCARLET HAMELIA (H. erecta). 
Florida native shrub or small tree of the 
coffee family with copious tiny red flow- 
ers twice a year. 
